Physiology 101

Physiology, generally, is the science of living systems, like human beings. Physiology encompasses many things, from how your body works on the tennis court and after the tennis court, to what can go wrong because you are on the tennis court (or anything that you do prior to the tennis court). For junior tennis players, this information usually goes in one ear and out the other, similar to any kind of "ology" information.

But, unfortunately for you, I happen to be fascinated by this stuff, and feel like it is actually well-worth your time to go through the basics of tennis physiology, so don't doze off just yet!

To appease my list-making craving, I will arrange these facts, not in any importance order, but in an arrangement of certain organization nonetheless.

1. Welcome ATP. For science nerds, this is the molecule that is made out of three chains of phosphorus, or Adenosine Triphosphate. ATP, very simply speaking, is an energy blob that is made out of the food we eat. Food becomes glucose in our body (carbohydrates, specifically, which means pasta, ect.), which then, using mitochondria, the energy making blobs in our system, as well as oxygen, makes ATP molecules, which help us do cool stuff like breathe and walk around, or even more cool stuff like run a mile or hit a ball crosscourt.

For my fellow science nerds, here is the ATP molecule in molecular form. Notice to the left the three phosphates that make up the molecule. When one of those is taken away, ATP becomes ADP. Telepathically connect with your old biology textbook!

For those not interested in the slightest with the stick and letters above, ATP is the yellow blob above. He's very energized and excited to help you contract your muscles and play tennis.

2. ATP breaks down to ADP during an energy making process, where the extra phosphate in ATP acts as the physical energy we use to constrict and contract our muscles during exercise. The closest analogy for ATP and ADP would be fueling a car. The fuel, or ATP, is added to the car to help it drive, and the burning of the fuel by the engine of the car, aka our body's energy making system, allows us to move the metallic vehicle. I know, fascinating stuff, right!

3. There are different types of energy making processes in our body, some using different types of foods, from carbohydrates to proteins, some using oxygen, some not using oxygen, and some that are kick-started by a sudden need for energy, like running away from someone about to slap you with a towel, and some slowly revved up by a slow, but long, jog. Glycolysis is one of these processes, and forms ATP molecules (or blobs, if you so wish) in the aerobic metabolism of carbohydrates (aerobic, really, is using oxygen to break down carbohydrates, and is why, partially, you breathe heavier when your exercising, because you need more oxygen to create more ATP!). Here is the real kicker thought; in this process, lactate is produced as a by-product. Lactic acid thus builds up in the muscle working, and ta-da! You're sore! The less your body is used to exercise, the less efficient the ATP production is, thus why people tired out quicker when they are less endurant and why they feel more sore when they are not fit. The ATP production is to blame!

4. When your body no longer has enough oxygen to create ATP but still needs to, the process become anaerobic. This is what happens when you do workouts like ladder drills, circuit training, and wind sprints. 

I know, pretty cool stuff, right? When you're running on the court next time, you'll realize that the yellow blob, or ATP molecule, is working hard for you as you contract your muscles to hit each and every ball, and will realize that your body is a well-oiled machine that you have just only begun to explore. Stay tuned!    

The Rules of Tennis

Sometimes, even competitive juniors don't know some basic rules of tennis. Maybe, you are just beginning to learn, or perhaps, would like to learn to help your junior player be informed about the game. This idea came about as I was instructing a junior player who, serving, crossed the "imaginary extension" of the middle hash mark. I called a foot fault, and she turned around and said, "but I didn't cross the baseline with my foot, did I?"

Here is an example of a rule that you may not know; while you can technically serve any way that you want (underhand included) between the singles sideline and the extension of this sideline and the middle hash mark and it's imaginary extension, you may not cross either of these line, nor cross the baseline prior to contact with the ball.

Oh, and while we're talking about serves, if you hit, on the fly, a fixture (the ceiling, for example, or more realistically, the net post), that's a fault, not a do-over (a let). Fun fact; until I was twelve, I always thought it was "led" not let (which means either a ball or some kind of distraction warrants immediate stopping of play and playing the point over, or your serve hit the tape of the net and went into the box it was supposed to go into, which means you are allowed to re-serve that serve. If you don't make it into the box, it's still a fault). I still think back on how kids must have thought it was funny that I was pronouncing it that way.

Random rule number two; you need to get the toss done prior to even warming up. This rarely happens. Typically the line judge, in junior tennis, comes over to toss prior to the match beginning, so this is one of those rules that technically is a rule, but realistically many don't follow. But definitely something that you can instill. Now for digression number two. What to choose? If you win, always choose to serve, unless you are WAY better at returned than serving (By the way, you can also choose a side if you want, but really, you should choose the serve). This puts you in an aggressive mindset and position from the first ball in play. Secondly, if you lose the toss, don't forget that you still have choice of a side. Choose the side WITH the sun, or the one that you DON'T prefer. You may be stuck with the sun for a game, but after you switch after playing the first game, your opponent will be stuck there for two. You're welcome.

Other rules to remember; you can't touch the net during play. If you're DONE playing, yes, you can touch the net, but shouldn't anyway. Who wants to see you hanging over the net in self-pity? Your opponent. Other things you shouldn't touch? Anything other than the court with the ball you hit. Meaning, if you are playing indoors and happen to hit the ceiling, it's automatically the point of your opponent. Or, if you are playing outside, mishit the ball, and hit the scoreboard, still the point of your opponent. However, if you hit your opponent on the fly, it is your point.

Here comes digression number three. I was playing a point out as a junior and ran up to the net like a ninja. Alas, my ninja qualities were just developing, so the girl saw and hit a lob over my head. I then proceeded to run, facing the fence, not the net, hoping to somehow spin around and have the ball directly in front of me. Of course, I end up running way past the baseline, and promptly being struck in the head by the very ball I was chasing, that was going way out. Two lessons learned; that point is my opponent's, and I should probably watch the ball when I run for it. Good times.

This next rules starts with a story. Yay! I was watching a friend play, who was a beast at the net. He would always finish at the net, and one point, just to impress the audience, he reached over the net as the ball floated towards him to put it away. The line judged called him out on it, and he lost the point. Before you try and impress your friends, make sure you don't look like a doof because you didn't know the rules. You can't reach over the net to hit the ball that's heading your way.

This next one I see all the time, and no one is really sure about the rule. Say, for example, you hit your first serve in the net. Then, a ball rolls onto the court. You need to stop and roll the ball into the other court where it belongs. Do you need to continue, or can you hit a first serve again? You can hit a first serve again. If the receiver or an outside interference is what delays time between first and second serve, you get two serves. If, however, you stop because there is a gust of wind, you can't insist that you get a first serve. You stopped in the first place. This gets trickier, say, if you cramp in between serves. Since you are what caused in interference, you still only get your second serve.

Speaking of cramping, how about medical timeouts? You can take one medical timeout per injury. They are be up to three minutes a piece. That means that the 90 seconds you have on change overs and 120 seconds you have on a set break can be used towards the medical timeout, but the medical timeout itself cannot last more than three minutes. Bathroom breaks are usually an etiquette thing; you can go whenever you need to, but you should do it over a set break if you can. Girls get two, boys get one (unless an emergency). It's one of those things where while this rule can bent a little, it's not very sportmanship-like. (Yeah, I think I just made up a word. Don't judge)!

More rules to come; stay tuned for doubles rules!

Summer Camps 2013

It's that time of the year again to gear up for Seminole High Performance Summer camps! I've been a coach at the camps for two years now, as well as dorm counselor, and I must say, it's a lot of fun and always makes a difference in junior tennis players games. After a day of tennis with a catered lunch break in between, we bring kids home to rest up and then take them out to fun activities during the evenings. This year, we've upgraded the dorms that the players that stay in the dorms will be living at. These dorms are very, very nice, and are in the middle of campus, so are very safe!

The dates for 2013 are below. It is never too early to apply!

High Performance Session #1 - June 16-20

 High Performance Session #2 - June 23-27
High Performance Session #3 - July 14-18
High Performance Session #4 - July 28-Aug. 1

*New Camp Features in 2013*

• New Apartment Style Dorms on Campus
• On-Court Video Technology with 40 inch flat screen TV
• Trip to FSU Seminole Reservation (Canoeing, Sand volleyball, swimming, rock climbing)
• Team Building Seminars
• Ropes Course Available (Team Building or Fun)
• Collegiate Placement Seminars

*New Apartment Style Living in 2013*

• Ragans Hall/Apartments
• 3 and 4 bedroom units available
• Living rooms
• Kitchens with refrigerator and microwave
• Each camper will have their own bedroom
• 24 hour supervision
• 3 meals per day will be served

This is information you can find on the Seminole High Performance website. What you don't know is how awesome Ragans Hall apartments are! They are clean, fairly new, and, did I mention, each person has their own bedroom?? It is the greatest way to introduce your junior player to what college is going to be like, and with plenty of supervision that is around the clock. The three meals per day that are served are fantastic, healthy meals that often are catered from local restaurants. 

On-Court Tennis Focus

• High Intensity collegiate style drilling
• Indoor Tennis Training
• Focused individual Instruction
• Competitive Match Play
• Small Group Drilling
• Personalized Goal Setting
• Advanced Fitness training and seminars
• Sports Psychology Training Daily
• Cutting edge tactical training

The coaching staff at SHP is very knowledgeable, made up of previous college tennis athletes and current college tennis coaches like Coach Nick and Coach Dwayne! Not only is the tennis high intensity, fun, and focused, but we also include lots of options that make us stand out from a lot of other camps, including indoor tennis, personalized goal setting, advanced fitness, sports psychology, and tactical training that involves the highest tech gadgets out there, including a cool hand-eye coordination technical tool!

Off-Court Adventures (Nightly Activities)

• Disco Night Bowling and Chili’s Restaurant on Campus Night
• FSU Seminole Reservation(Canoeing, Sand volleyball, swimming, rock climbing)  and BBQ Cookout
• Fun Station (Go-Carts, Mini-Golf, Laser Tag, Arcade) and Pizza Party Night
• Feature Movie and Games Night

Personally, for me this is where the fun is at. I've experienced tons of fun nights with SHP summer camps, and taking the kids to relax at movie night and have fun at Fun Station is always an awesome experience for us dorm counselors as well as for the kids. This year, we're adding to the fun by taking kids out to FSU's reservation and adding other exciting nightly activities that make sure that your junior tennis player gets the best of both tennis and a summer camp fun experience! 

Camp Prices

Overnight Camp 995.00 per week
Day Camp 725.00 per week
Discounts for Additional Weeks or 2nd Child: 895.50 per week

Other Camp Details:

• FSU camp t-shirts provided
• 6 hours of tennis per day
• 3 meals per day
• Nightly Activities include: Bowling, Movies, Swimming,
• Exhibition
• Chaperones in the Dorm
• Laundry services available
• Airport pick-up available

If there are any questions as to what to bring or anything that may cross your mind in terms of SHP summer camps, don't hesitate to comment on this blog, or email me at kova1227@gmail.com. Hope to see you there!

2013 Registration and Check-out Times

RESIDENT CAMPERS
Check in days: (June 16, June 23, July 14, July 28) from 3:00-4:30 PM at Ragans Hall for all resident campers. There will be a parent meeting at 4:30 PM.

Check out days: (June 20, June 27, July 18, August 1) at 3:30 PM. Check out will be at the Ragans Hall for all resident campers.

DAY CAMPERS
Check in days: (June 16, June 23, July 14, July 28) from 4:30-5:00 PM at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center, there will be a parent meeting at 5:00.

REMINDER: THERE WILL BE TENNIS ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOR ALL CAMPERS FROM 5:00-7:00 PM INCLUDING DAY CAMPERS AFTER THE CAMP REGISTRATION AND MEETING!

The Warm Up

As the coaches siren their calls for warm up, the junior players drudgingly stop their game of mini tennis to form a line and proceed to gossip as they jog hesitantly up and down (or around) the courts for their warm up. There is a reason why this is not allowed at Seminole High Performance. We expect high quality effort at all times, even with the warm up runs and stretches. If you’ve been reading this blog, you know already how into stretching I am, primarily because I didn’t do it when I was a junior player myself enough and now it’s costing me.

But I understand how easy it is, day in and day out doing the same stretches, to autopilot through jogging, stretching, and warming up your shots. Often I see players goofing off in the warm up; i.e. trying to peg someone, attempting to beat a world record of how little steps they can take within a warm up time, exaggerating grunting for attention, amongst other fantastic escapades that never cease to irritate a coach.

Warming up deserves a focused player. A focused player will jog to warm up muscles to avoid injury, stretch while focusing on how their muscles feel that day, and notice changes in flexibility when they do certain exercises, and warm up their shots when hitting with a partner, focusing on correct form and footwork while they are at it. We, as a coaching staff, always remind players that the warm up is important. Know that if you did not come off the court that day exhausted from your work on court, you didn’t do all that you could do and didn’t get better that day. 

Never doubt that there is an opponent working harder than you if you don’t work your hardest day in and day out. Footwork is typically the key in the warm up. If we had to count how many time we had to say “step up your footwork” (or something along the lines of footwork), we’d all be a perfect epitome of a broken-record player. Footwork dictates body movement; if they are standing like tree stumps, everything else will soon follow suit. 

It may seem okay to, once in a while, autopilot through a warm up, waiting to get to the “real” practice of that day, but as a serious tennis player, you should quickly reconsider your outlook on the warm up. It is the way that you will approach practice; if that means your lackadaisical in the warm up, guess how the rest of practice will go?     

Superstitions

Superstitions sometimes can be silly (say that three times fast), and sometimes clearly pointless to all that are outsiders, but in reality, especially sports reality, superstitions are not only harmless, but typically accomplish positive results. Superstitions can alleviate stress and unnecessary nervousness, and can place a player into a specific "game time" mindset. They can also help players cope with things that are clearly out of their control, but can be harmful if a player focuses on that thing. Say, for example, a player that I know that turns his cap sideways to cope with the element of the sun. While the cap may shield a little of the sun, he has somehow decided that by turning his cap sideways he is thus impervious to the sun and all of its powers. Say, if he forgot his hat, he would talk about nothing but how the sun was bothering him.

I can tell you that I had tons of superstitions growing up playing tennis, and they carried through into college tennis. Some of them are fairly common, like eating the same thing eat morning if I continue winning, or eating something completely different the next morning if I lost the day before. I had my lucky dresses and skirts and racquets and teddy bears. Some of them were weird; I bounce (and still do) the ball plus two of the number of the ball. Don't ask how this happened, or where it came from, because I have no idea. I wouldn't step on the lines of the court between points.

After sharing my goofiness with some fellow coaches, some shared their superstitions with me. Coach Nick taps his racquet against the fence gently twice between points. Coach Aaron would wash the same socks, shirt, and shorts for the next day's match if he won the day before. Everyone has their little quirks, and these quirks are perfectly normal. If you don't notice, you should realize that these quirks sometimes carry over to life off of the court as well, like the typical don't-go-under-ladders or oh-no-there-is-a-black-cat superstitions. As long as these superstitions don't get out of control, they actually can help a tennis player on (and off) the court. Our brains are very smart and figure out ways to cope with nervousness and things that are out of our control, and superstitions are one way of doing that!

Bag Check

If anyone has ever seen "bag check" on the tennis channel, they'll know that this blog will be able what you should (and what you shouldn't) carry around with you as a tennis player at all times. Being prepared for your match requires that, like Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother says, you "Suit up." Now, this may mean to dress sharp on HIMYM, but on the court that means that you should have everything that you need at all times. Now on bag check, no matter who the cameraman is asking to unpack their tennis bags, you'll find some things in common, like

• a fresh set of clothes
• a jump rope
• a lucky charm of some sort
• a toiletries bag
• racquets and strings

So, a fresh set of clothes. You'll want to have an extra fresh set of clothes on you at all times, just case, say, you spill Powerade all over your new outfit, or if you sweat a lot on the court and need to change into something more dry. Don't wear anything that you have not yet worn in practice; I see this happen all the time, where a junior player wants to wear a pretty new tennis dress with thin strips, only to find that these straps inconveniently fall off every time they hit a ball, or rub them in the wrong places.

A jump rope. This is an essential that a lot of players don't have in their bags as juniors, but need to. Jump rope is a perfect way of getting ready for your match, or shaking out your legs when you've sat around the tournament site all day. I know a lot of players that sit around and watch their friends play until they are called for their match, and then wonder why for the first two games they can't get the ball in the court, and why they feel like they are moving in slow motion. I always tell players to give themselves at least fifteen minutes prior to their match to focus again on themselves, run around and warm up (jumping rope would be ideal here), and hit the court with focus for their match.

Lucky charm. Now this isn't an essential, but let's face it, tons of tennis players are superstitious. This would be a funny blog all on it's own, but just as an example; when I was playing, I would bounce the ball plus two of the number of the ball (So if the ball was a one, I would bounce three times). You ask, where did you get this silly idea? I have no idea. I just remember doing it since I was a kid. Superstitions are not bad, even though they have a bad connotation. Superstitions sometimes actually help players get their mind off of their nerves or make them feel they are more in control of things that they really can't control, like the weather. I've seen countless bag checks and almost all of them show a little toy or lucky charm that they have in the crevices of their bags that help them get through their matches.

Toiletries; for those who do not know of toiletries catered to the tennis player, this includes a mini baggie of chapstick, pain killers, sun block, tape and/or any other injury prevention, deodorant, massage cream (for injuries or post-match soreness), extra visors, nail clippers (hang nails are painful, and gross!), and any stray that refreshes you (I always like the bath and body works sprays).

Now, racquets and strings (just in case you break your strings on your current racquets) seem like a very obvious addition to a tennis bag, but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen players come to a match with only one racquet, or with racquets that are not "tournament ready," meaning they are not gripped or strung the way the player likes. This is different for all people. I know I liked to play with the grips I had from practice, but my brother, whose playing ITF's right now, likes to play with newly gripped racquets when he plays matches. Strings are also something that is personal preference. I kept in my bag a new racquet that was freshly strung at the tension I liked (57 pounds), as well as a practiced racquet that would have lost a few pounds of tension, just in case I didn't feel like I was controlling the ball as much as I could have that day. Multiple racquets are a must. You never know when strings will pop, nor do you know what could happen to your racquets.

Of course, when it's match day, you also need to bring hydration. This includes water as well as a supplemental beverage, typically Powerade with electrolytes, but sometimes more natural hydration like coconut water (which has equal amounts of electrolytes and double the amount of potassium compared to Powerade). You'll also want to bring sun block, hats and visors, wristbands, and a towel.

So that's your bag check for today, make sure when you come to Seminole High Performance you keep these rules in mind as you never know when your next bag check will be!    

The Elements of Tennis

Hi all!

As I trudge through my rhetorical theory class and read up on some Aristotle and Plato, I realize that tennis does not have a theoretical grounding as much as, say, literature does. Perhaps no sport truly has a theoretical ground, but it certainly has elements that, if not working in tandem, will not work at all. That is why in this post, I give to you ladies and gentlemen, the elements of the game that need all be present in a perfect equilibrium to represent all that is in your control as a player that can make you the best that you can be.

Keep in mind folks, if you don't know what equilibrium is, that these elements must be found in a balance with each other, and should never take over one's life in a way that makes tennis the be all and the end all.

Element ONE: the game of tennis. Of course, to be the best you can be, you must have physically gone onto the court. That would be good. All jokes aside, it's really up to the player individually how much they can be on the court and still remain fresh. I've written about this in previous posts, but I cannot make more clear that there is such thing as too much. It's called getting burnt out, like when you try and light a fire by striking the match too quickly, or not allowing the embers to get hot enough before you start trying to build a bigger fire. Nevertheless, tennis takes time and commitment if "the best that you can be" is your goal. For younger kids, start out slow with lots of fun, but still get an hour or two in privates in to form technique. For average players with some experience, exposure is important; an hour or two of privates and lots of clinics and groups would be great exposure and fun for students who are developing their game. Advanced players need equal individual attention and clinics, part a for technique and real intense work, and b for some fun and exposure to match play and different tennis game styles.

Element TWO: fitness. You go to the gym once a week? Try going three for weights and more intense body work, and two for cardio. If you're playing a match soon, go with three cardio days and two more intense body work days. Fitness is the difference between an average player and an elite player. An elite player does not get as tired, is quicker and more agile, and has less injuries than an average player. The muscles on an elite player are toned but not bulky, a sign of proper fitness training. Should a player under eighteen do weights, girl or boy? Not really, unless it's under twenty pounds for arms and under half the body weight for legs. I've seen sixteen year olds get really hurt at the gym trying to bench press. Wait for college or the pro tour for that! A young players muscles are still developing, and need to be lengthened, not tightened. Plyometrics, band work, body resistance, and various cardio exercises, like stadiums and sprints, are much more effective than weight training for a budding tennis player. If you think you can't get enough of a workout with these training regimens, ask one of the coaches and we'll give you a workout that will leave you wishing you didn't. But really, you should never hesitate to ask, since we all know fitness routines that would help each individual personally.

Element THREE: mentality. Ha! This really should be number one, but remember that these aren't in any particular order, and we are looking for equilibrium. Find me a player who does not have any issues mentally on the court, and I'll give you a million bucks. (Or maybe twenty or so, who am I kidding!) Mental issues can range from being nervous before a match to the extent that it inhibits play to choking (not physically, mentally; as in leading the entire match and then losing and not being able to close out the match) and chucking the racquet across the court (aka tantrum) whenever something doesn't go your way. I wish I could tell you there is a magical pill that will solve all of these issues for you, but then indeed I would be a millionaire. It takes effort and practice to deal with these issues, and every player is unique in how they deal with their own. Typically my response to issues with mentality includes that the player has not yet had enough match play and experience to understand how to recognize and deal with these issues, but they don't go away with more match play. They do ebb and flow; one month may be awesome, another terrible. Tennis mimics life in that aspect; while the game will always stay the same, the person playing it won't, and mentality will always continue to be part of the game. Even pros deal with these issues all the time.

Element FOUR: diet & sleep. Sleeping is good, and so is a healthy diet. Sleeping in a routine that suits your schedule (as in, you won't be late to school/work/tennis) is essential for a growing and/or training body to stay fit and firing on all cylinders. You may not feel the effects of sleep right away, but they will come in forms that you won't expect, like grouchiness and cramping. Additionally, healthy food is essential for an athlete. Hydrating with coke, for example, would be like feeding a racehorse sugar cubes instead of hay. Avoid foods that are "empty;" nutritionists call foods empty because they do not give the human body any nutrition and usually add a bunch of not-so-good stuff on top of that, like processed sugars, or even worse, processed chemicals and dyes. Yuck! What I've been doing lately for my diet is checking the ingredients on the back of the product. Fun fact: the first ingredient is always the ingredient in highest concentration. So if, say, my unsweet tea that I have in front of me has the ingredients of filtered water, brewed tea, caramel color, and potassium sorbate, the ingredient my tea is made out of is firstly water, then tea, then all that other stuff. A good athletic diet does include plenty of carbs that you burn off when training, so "diet" may be deceitful as it registers as typically eating less, not more. Healthy is the key work here: Chik-fil-a, while delicious, isn't a pre-match meal!